The present invention relates to twine tensioners for crop balers adapted to make round bales, where the twine tensioner regulates tension in the baler twine as the twine is applied to the round bales during the bale wrapping process.
A problem exists in the round hay baler industry. The problem is related to the fact that in order to start the bale wrapping process in most round balers, a relatively loose section of twine must be introduced into the hay feeder system at a location close to a rolling bale until the twine catches on or is grabbed by the bale and is drawn into the machine around the bale. Twine that is too tightly held or tensioned at the beginning of the operation will not catch on the bale, thus wasting time and creating frustration. Twine that is loose enough to be easily drawn into the machine and around a newly formed bale under most conditions is usually lacking in sufficient tension to adequately tightly wrap the bale. Loosely wrapped bales fail to retain their shape, do not handle well, and can fall apart, resulting in significant forage losses.
An additional problem is that knives for cutting twine function better when the knives make contact with well-tensioned twine. Thus, a poor twine tension not only leads to a poorly wrapped bale, but also can lead to poor cutting of the twine. This leads to wasted time for gathering crops.
Attempts have been made to remedy the above-described problems. However, such attempts have invariably led to systems that are extensive, expensive, cumbersome, complicated, and prone to breakdowns.
Accordingly, a twine tensioner is desired solving the aforementioned problems and having the aforementioned advantages.
In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for balers includes an adjustable twine tensioner adapted to adjustably tension twine, an energizable actuator connected to the twine tensioner for adjusting the twine tensioner, and a control operably connected to the actuator for energizing and operating the actuator to selectively adjust the twine tensioner during a bale wrapping process of a baler, and thus selectively increase and decrease tension in twine associated with the twine tensioner.
In a narrower aspect, the apparatus for making round bales includes a crop accumulator adapted to pick up and roll crop material into a round bale, a twine dispenser adapted to hold and dispense twine and to position a free end of the twine proximate the bale such that, as the bale is rolled, the free end of the twine catches on the bale and the twine is pulled around the bale. The twine tensioner is positioned to selectively tension the twine being dispensed from the twine dispenser to the crop accumulator.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of tensioning twine includes steps of providing an adjustable twine tensioner adapted to adjustably tension twine, and providing an actuator operably connected to the twine tensioner for adjusting the twine tensioner. The method includes selectively switching the twine tensioner between high and low twine tensioning positions by operating a switch operably connected to the actuator to thus selectively increase and decrease tension in twine for optimal tension during the bale wrapping process.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of tensioning twine around bales of crop material includes steps of extending a free end of twine close to a rotating bale of crop material until the free end is caught and pulled with a reliable pulling force by the rotating bale, with the twine, at most, loosely restrained by a twine tensioner, and after the free end is drawn around the bale sufficiently to establish a reliable pulling force, substantially increasing tension on the twine by the twine tensioner such that the twine is tensioned and drawn tight against the bale as the twine is wrapped repeatedly around the bale.
An object of the present invention is to provide an energizable twine tensioner that can be remotely controlled for selective twine tensioning without a need to dismount a tractor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrically motivated means for adjusting twine tension in a round baler twine as that twine is introduced into the baler, with the twine tension being optimal and different at different segments of the bale wrapping operation.
These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill upon reading the following description and claims together with reference to the accompanying drawings.